Fijians are as passionate about their national sevens team as Brazilians are about their national football team, the Selecao and New Zealanders are about their national 15 a side rugby team, the All Blacks. So when Kenya rolled over Fiji 26-7 at the world cup quarter finals, the anger in the Fiji islands boiled over resulting in vandalism at Union offices, death threats to officials and a general sense of depresion. It was made worse by the fact that Fijians are used to seeing their national team walk over the Kenyans. Who can forget the 1998 Commonwealth games when Fiji beat Kenya 70-0.
Below is a sample of reactions from the Fijian public
Coach Iliesa Tanivula
Thats rugby at its best – Kenya turned up to play and they wanted it more than us and we committed a lot of mistakes that’s the reality but the boys tried their best.
I take my hat off to them and congratulate Kenya the way they played we should have played the way they did but that’s the way rugby goes, Tanivula said.
They have been improving in the last few seasons and have been pumping a lot of passion into their development that’s something that we have to look at they played well on the day they turned up to play rugby they were physical and they didn’t make any mistakes we had a few mistakes and they scored off it.
Tanivula said he tried to use the same-line up that beat France impressively in the pool match against Kenya.
I thought the same line up against France they showed their brilliance and thought to give them another game against Kenya to continue that momentum from the French game.
But as I said Kenya turned up on the day and they really wanted it more than us
Fiji Times
Meanwhile, Police are investigating the alleged vandalism of the Fiji Rugby Union bus on Saturday night.
The bus was parked in Nadera when items were thrown at the bus and some words were also scribbled on the side of it.
Vandals threw soil and cassava plants on top of the Toyota 30-seater coaster when Kenya booted the lethargic Fiji team out of the World Cup quarter-final 7-26.
They also scribbled on the bus abusive words targeted at the players, officials and FRU, whose headquarters on Gordon Street in the capital is under police watch.
Fiji rugby Blog
TV sets in Fiji must be suffering right now from all sorts of verbal abuse hauled at them by their owners when Fiji was playing its losing game against Kenya.
Police are sill guarding the Fiji Rugby Union Headquarters in Suva after the FRU officials received threats following Fiji’s disappointing loss in the world cup 7 quarterfinals.
Expert trainer Nacanieli Cawanibuka
They played the style of rugby that Fiji is renowned for. They played running rugby.
We were just sitting ducks without pace and power. Our tackles failed. There was no answer to the Kenyans.
We were beaten at our own game. I don’t think some players were fit enough to even be in Dubai. Semisi Naevo was to heavy.
Fiji Times
Former national coach, Joji Rinakama pointed out that another reason Fiji failed in its campaign was because of the overseas-based players lack of fitness. He said the overseas-based players level of fitness was suitable for 15s rugby and not sevens.
Business day
Kenyans played a disciplined, tactical and free flowing game to see off the opponents at each stage and cause a series of upsets which left the rugby world reeling in bewilderment.
Fiji Rugby Blog
TV sets in Fiji must be suffering right now from all sorts of verbal abuse hauled at them by their owners when Fiji was playing its losing game against Kenya.
Police are still guarding the Fiji Rugby Union Headquarters in Suva after the FRU officials received threats following Fiji’s disappointing loss in the world cup 7 quarterfinals.
